A recent study published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood has revealed a possible connection between extended breastfeeding periods and improved academic performance during adolescence. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Oxford, found that children breastfed for longer durations tended to outperform non-breastfed children in their school’s General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams at the age of 16. This positive correlation persisted even after accounting for factors like socio-economic status and parental intelligence.
The research team analysed data from the Millennium Cohort Study, which followed 18,818 children born in the UK between 2000 and 2002, tracking them at ages 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, 17, and 22. This data was cross-referenced with the National Pupil Dataset, containing longitudinal academic records of students in English state schools. The study focused on 4,940 participants from England up to the age of 16 and examined their GCSE results in English and Mathematics, including the Attainment 8 score.
Around 32.8% of the participants were never breastfed, while only 9.5% were breastfed for at least 12 months. The analysis of the results demonstrated that longer breastfeeding periods were associated with better educational outcomes. Specifically, only 19.2% of children breastfed for at least 12 months failed their English GCSE, compared to 41.7% of those who were never breastfed. Furthermore, 28.5% of those breastfed for at least 12 months achieved high pass grades (A and A*) in English, as opposed to 9.6% among non-breastfed children. Similar trends were observed in Mathematics GCSE results, with children breastfed for at least 12 months showing higher achievement and lower failure rates compared to those who were never breastfed.
After controlling for various factors, the overall association revealed that children breastfed for at least 12 months were 39% more likely to achieve high pass grades in both exams and 25% less likely to fail the English exam, in comparison to children who were never breastfed. Additionally, those breastfed for longer periods demonstrated better overall performance in their GCSEs, as indicated by their higher Attainment 8 scores.
Although the study presented nationally representative findings for children in English state schools and had a substantial sample size, some limitations were acknowledged. Notably, data linking issues and the absence of certain influencing factors may have affected the results. The researchers emphasized the need for future studies to comprehensively account for socioeconomic circumstances and maternal general intelligence.
